Geranium plant named ‘Pactina’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Pactina’, characterized by its upright, rounded and compact plant habit; freely basal branching and flowering habit; light pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Pactina’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pactina’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums with attractive flower coloration.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2000 of two proprietary selections of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. The cultivar Pactina was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pactina’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pactina’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright, rounded and compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching and flowering habit.     -   3. Leaves with a distinct zonation pattern.     -   4. Light pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Sassa, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Sassa in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were not as broad as plants         of the cultivar Sassa.     -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had more flowers per umbel         than plants of the cultivar Sassa.     -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger flowers than         plants of the cultivar Sassa.     -   4. Flower color of plants of the new Zonal Geranium was lighter         than flower color of plants of the cultivar Sassa.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pactina’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Pactina have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown during the summer in containers in Dresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 18° C., night temperatures about 16° C. and light levels ranging from 15 to 100 kilolux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were about nine months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Pactina. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 18 days at 22° C.             Winter: About 22 days at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 25 days             at 22° C. Winter: About 30 days at 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright, rounded and compact plant             habit; uniform; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth             habit. Freely basal branching habit with about eight lateral             branches per plant; pinching is not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 30 to 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 8 to 12 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Internode length: About 1 to 2 cm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or opposite;             simple. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 7 to 9 cm. Shape:             Rounded. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate; closed. Margin:             Crenate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent; leathery. Color: Developing foliage,             upper surface: 137B. Developing foliage, lower surface:             147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation,             137A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation,             146B. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Weak. Location of zone             from margin: About 5 mm. Width: About 1 cm. Color: 147A.             Petiole: Length: About 4 to 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 148B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Light pink-colored flowers; semi-double             rotate flowers arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels             arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the             foliage on strong peduncles. Flowers face upright to             outward; flowers slightly cupped. Flowers persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 15 umbels             per plant, about 20 flower buds and open flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous from             April until frost in the fall.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten             days and umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 7 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 to 12 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About ten. Length: About             2.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening,             upper surface: 63C. When opening, lower surface: 62D. Fully             opened, upper surface: 63C; towards the margin, 63B; towards             the base, close to 155D; venation, 63B; color becoming             closer to 66D with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             62D; towards the base, 63A; venation, 63A.         -   Petaloids.—None observed.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: 144A. Color, lower surface: 144A overlain             with 181A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 8 to 12 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: 146B overlain with 181A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 181A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About ten. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther color: Purple. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Golden brown. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma             color: Purple. Style length: About 3 to 4 mm. Style color:             Purple. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from −0.5     to 40° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pactina’, as herein illustrated and described. 